Scuba tank fill location?

[mrw]

Originally Posted by Crusty Old Dive

First off, kiss my ass Melvin. I am so tired of you dive shop reps, employees and owners defending your shitty business practices. You think you can charge whatever you want and your customers are going to stay loyal. Not gonna happen.

First off, Melvin should definitely kiss your ass.

2nd, you should kiss mine.

3rd, because you dealt with shitty shops don't go throwing them all together, like every ex-navy diver is a drunken whore or something...

Dive stores that are authorized to carry specific brands get their inventory at a discount (how much depends upon their annual purchasing level). Then they are told what is the lowest price they can sell it for, and in a very few instances, what is the highest they can charge for it as well. Typically (at least in our store) we sold things at the minimum which allowed a very small profit per item. If a store wants to gouge and increase their profit and people keep going there, shame on them. But a very big percentage of shops do/did not act that way.

[Crusty Old Dive]

Originally Posted by mrw

First off, Melvin should definitely kiss your ass.

2nd, you should kiss mine.

3rd, because you dealt with shitty shops don't go throwing them all together, like every ex-navy diver is a drunken whore or something...

Dive stores that are authorized to carry specific brands get their inventory at a discount (how much depends upon their annual purchasing level). Then they are told what is the lowest price they can sell it for, and in a very few instances, what is the highest they can charge for it as well. Typically (at least in our store) we sold things at the minimum which allowed a very small profit per item. If a store wants to gouge and increase their profit and people keep going there, shame on them. But a very big percentage of shops do/did not act that way.

First off, I have kissed your ass... unfortunately I do not remember as I was drunk... but heard about it second hand. Hope you enjoyed it. As well I hope your wife enjoyed my text. Ugh .

2nd I'm not lumping all the stores together. Just saying that shitty business practices are out in the new electronic age.

3rd Every ex-navy diver is a drunken whore or was and is now going through therapy/rehab/AA etc

I buy from dive shops that are brick and mortar here in CT and RI... but I also buy from Austins and Freedive Shop. Trying not to buy from LeisurePro as they are becoming the Walmart of the diving world.

[codfishhead]

Originally Posted by mrw

Now keep in mind that for almost all major brands our lowest price is dictated to us or we lose the ability to carry that brand (ie., ScubaPro, DiveRite, Mares, Poseidon, DUI, Riffe,etc.), and most stores sell at that price, not above.

Correct me if I'm wrong MRW. isn't it the advertised prices that are dictated. You can actually sell the products for whatever you want in the store. Which means taking less profit to make the sale.

I understand both sides of this. My .02.
First off, the internet is not going anywhere. So it's step up and get with the times or just moan and groan until you're doors close. Such is business. The only permanent change is change itself.
I also do support any GOOD local shops that carry products I use. Although just because someone opens a shop doesn’t mean they know shit about what they should do.
On a side note I'm a Commodities Manager and have a 25 mil dollar spend for machined parts of which every single one comes from my machine shop vendors here in CT where I live. Cheaper for me to buy in China who owns all the metal now? Bet your ass. Do I plan on sending my parts overseas. Not an F'n chance.

I just starting to look into getting scuba certified and have gone in a few scuba shops in CT and NY to see what there like and ask questions. What I read on the web when looking for a place to get certified. Ask question. About 10 places so far in the last week. Only 1 out of the 10 I have a need to ever walk back into. That right there tells me they are not doing the right thing to thrive in this economy. Only the 1 store (it was Orbit's in BPT CT well out of my way) had the owner there with a helper and both could answer everything I asked. Also had everything in the store I wanted to check out from regs, tanks, even cameras. Hats off to Noel and I will be going back there to purchase equipment and get certified. He's been there for as long as I can remember. I used to live in BPT. This was my first time in his shop in 20 plus yrs. Before that it was just to buy bait from there. While I was still in the store I text my friend and told him Orbits had the Mako gun he was looking at online. Half hr later he was there and bought the gun, mask, and a couple other items. He bought the gun for the same price listed on the Mako site. I'm also getting 4 others to come with me to get certified and I'll bet they buy a bunch of crap from there as well. I will also be telling my friends about the shops to avoid like the pelage. If you're going to open your doors you should have some pride and do the best job you can to support your customers. If you need to keep another job and have non educated helpers running your place than in my eyes you already failed and I won’t be back.

When I go to a shop I have cash to burn. If you have a person there that doesn’t know jack just to say your open you just wasted my time. Every other shop I walked into told me to come back or call so and so who knows this or that. If you think your time is more valuable than your paying customers, bring a lunch to the unemployment lines.